


and maybe; we fits

by Revantio



Category: Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Calm Narukami, I Don't Play P5, M/M, Maybe OOC, Mild Persona 5 Spoiler, Mother hen Narukami, Smug Akira, Snarky Akira, Why is Akira's characterization so Hard, i dont know anymore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 02:24:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8826739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Revantio/pseuds/Revantio
Summary: Narukami Yu witnessed a stranger broke to his flat–in the middle of the night, no less—from the window, and please remember it’s on 15th floor, but instead of calling the authority, or telling at least... someone close, or broke to a reaction close to panic and wary, Yu decided to treat the intruder.Later, Yu wonders how the hell he runs around using black suit avoiding cops and fighting shadows with the code-name 'Harley.'And don't forget the long, silver wig. Absolutely don't forget the wig glistening in moonlight.





	1. Chapter 1

There’s this loud, glass shattering noises followed by a _thump_ coming from outside of his room and his grey eyes fluttered open. Narukami Yu blinks, trying to focus his sight, as if shooing the blurriness away from his eyes and swipe the haziness out of his mind. He's greeted by the familiar sight of his alarm clock, right on the desk beside his head, red light of numbers ‘02:15’ in the dark. Though he hesitated to get out of his warm bed, he knows that something happened out there, and he needs to check it out, since he lived alone in this flat.

While getting up and sits on his bed, he remembered that he is on 15th floor of the building and if he’s right, then something has just crashed his window. Hard. On 15th floor.

(Yu’s sleepy mind thinks it’s maybe an Angel, since no cats or animals can make sound that hard, and since his life is never normal to begin with anyway—but he hurriedly push the thought to the back of his mind as he stands up and opened the door)

Walking outside, Yu yawned softly, the corridor passed down to the living room and the sight that greeted him is enough to make him fully awake.

(Part of Yu’s mind makes him feels like he just jinxed himself—is that _really_ an angel there?)

There’s.. someone there, someone black laying on the floor right in front of the window—or rather, the someone, _he_ uses a long black coat, has untamed black hair, face-planted on the floor but that’s not what surprises Yu the most. It’s the sight of small pool of blood, seemingly coming from the... stranger’s head, and the glass shattered around his body on the floor and _on_ his body.

Narukami Yu puts his usual blank face to the sight; and after a moment, decided to slip on his sandals, takes a broom, a mop, and aid kit from his kitchen.

(The IT back in Inaba would stare incredulously at their leader’s story later on, on how Narukami Yu witnessed a stranger broke to his flat –in the middle of the night, no less—from the window, and please remember it’s on _15th_ floor, but instead of calling the authority, or telling at least... someone close, or broke to a reaction close to panic and wary, Yu decided to treat the intruder.

In his defense, Yu would say that the stranger _is_ bleeding and needed help, and it’s not like the stranger itself turned out to be a dangerous man or some mischievous villain or a freak—well, at least not in _Yu’s_ opinion.)

 

* * *

 

Yu had finished patched up the stranger’s injury, which fortunately, only on his head and the stranger’s breathing has become more steady, his posture more relaxed, as Yu observed the stranger’s currently laying on the sofa in his flat. Yu takes few plasters for his fingers, then, because it turns out cleaning the floor from shards of glass while you’re still part sleepy is not a very good idea. And dragging the stranger up from floor to the sofa alone is not easy either; Yu was sure the stranger will wake up at some point because Yu constantly knocked the stranger’s body with many things around while trying to move him to the sofa—but it didn’t happen, luckily.

Now with pieces of broken glass already in the trash bin, pool of blood already cleaned, bandages already covered the stranger’s injury, Yu feels himself relaxed, and occasionally felt chill run down his spine because his window is now so open, summer wind blow freely inside the flat.

Yu noticed how the wind swayed the stranger’s long, black, curly bangs on his face, ever so slightly, and how he frowned afterwards; must be feeling the cold then. The silver-haired teen observed the stranger’s attire for some more moments; his red gloves, shoes, and fancy clothes, the white bird-like mask with black colors around the eyes (the same mask he can’t bring himself to take off of the stranger’s face because somehow, Yu feels it’s impolite), a part of his mind which sounds very much like Naoto said that this man is _suspicious_ , _why should he use the mask anyway? He must be up to something before this._ Then his storm-colored eyes dropped at his sleeping face, trying to guess the age and he realized that this stranger is, if not the same age as him, which is 17 currently, might be younger than him.

The stranger stirs in his sleeps after, and Yu widened his eyes a bit, remembered the broken window and got up to  take out extra blanket from his bedroom. He spread the blanket open and covers the stranger’s body with the blanket.

Yu yawned then, feeling the sleepiness has come back to claim his senses and he decided that it’s still too early to think of any theories regarding the strangers. He crawls back to his bed, pulls his blanket up to his body, and it’s ’03.30’ on his clock, _too early indeed_ , before he drifted back to sleep.

 

* * *

 

It’s to the sound of his alarm blaring that Yu wakes up for the second time that day.

Yu remembered about the stranger last night, and how he probably still sleeps on his couch, and quickly gets up to maybe greet the stranger, starts a conversation, and offers breakfast.

(Yes, Narukami Yu is _that_ generous. No, he is not lonely.

....Okay, maybe a bit lonely but generous still.)

Turns out Yu doesn’t even need to worry about upcoming awkward breakfast with the stranger as sunshine peeked in through the broken window, shines on the empty sofa, safe with well-flipped blanket on it.

 _Of course_ the stranger already left.

Yu blinked, adds mental note to call the repairing staff for his broken window, and proceeds to brew himself a cup of coffee, readying himself for the day.

 

* * *

 

Yu thought, the certain bloody incident was a one time thing. That it will not happen again, and he will not, by any chance, meet the stranger in birdie-mask and fancy vest again.

(Boy, how wrong he is.)

Obviously, as he unlocked his flat’s door the evening around a week after, the clock shows ’23:50’, he did not expect the same thing—similar thing—greeted him on his living room. The repairing staff promised to arrive tomorrow, the silver-haired curled his lip, glancing at the calendar, before slowly, walks to the familiar body covered by black coat, laying heads-up on the floor. It’s ridiculous, Yu thinks, because here, in his home, he acts all polite because he’s afraid the stranger who broke his window woke up because of him. He can’t help but to drop his bag softly on the sofa, too.

Upon getting a more clear image of the intruder, yes, it’s the same teen as a week ago, and no, his head is not bleeding, but he’s breathing heavily. Yu knelt down, hesitantly brushed the stranger’s black unruly locks away from his forehead, and puts the back of his palm to the stranger's forehead. He quickly pulls his hand away, because it’s so hot; no wonder this stranger fainted.

A fever, huh.

Yu’s trying to remember how he puts his medicine stock, slowly getting up, but stopped when he feels a hand gripped his wrist. The stranger’s hand, covered by red gloves still, gripped Yu’s wrist, which makes him stops and turned his stormy eyes to the stranger’s black ones. Oh, Yu blinked. The stranger is actually awake—or did he _just_ wake up? Because the stranger is clearly trying hard to stay awake, what with his brows furrowing deeply beneath the mask and his lips curled to almost a pout. A confused pout, Yu decided.

Somehow, Yu remembered Nanako back in Inaba, how sometimes, just sometimes, Nanako become so nagging and easily cry because of a fever, how this stranger’s expression resembles Nanako’s back then. So out of reflex, Yu’s other hand moved to pat and ruffle the stranger’s black hair softly, complete with an (unconscious) little smile on his face.

The stranger’s posture and expression relaxed after, his grip loosens, and he closed his eyes.

(Little did Yu knows that at that very moment, he stole certain Phantom Thief’s heart)

 

* * *

 

Yu ends up carrying the stranger to the sofa,  and lets him lay down on it, while taking off his long, black coat, his red gloves, and tucks a blanket to cover his body. It must be not comfortable to rest with those on, Yu thinks, but he made no effort to take the mask off, because, well, he doesn’t think it’s really needed or if it’s appropriate. He brushed the stranger’s locks up, wipe some sweat off of the stranger’s forehead and neck with a little towel, and plastered a cold-plaster on his forehead.

The stranger’s still breathing heavily, before curling himself up on the sofa, much like a cat—and it worries Yu a bit. He must be feeling the cold, and the window... well, the window still opens an the wind freely blew in.

As Yu tucks another blanket on top of the stranger’s body, he can’t hep but think maybe he should wake him up to let him drink the medicine—which is on the table currently—but then his breathing calmed after a few moments and Yu sighed in relief.

Yu proceeds to make himself a late dinner, just a simple sandwich and tea, and sits down on the floor beside the sofa where the stranger’s sleep.

It’s just his nature, Rise once chirped, how Yu will fuss and evolve from a _bancho_ to a caring mother hen, when he sees someone in his range being sick. The others in IT agrees, while complaining and warning not to treat a suspicious stranger when they are not with him. Then, Yu just smiled in amusement, but now, Yu thinks, maybe they are right. Because are there other who will treat someone who broke your window and barges in your house twice? A suspicious intruder with fancy coat, no less.

He reached his TV remote and turning on the TV, decided that he will watch over the stranger and try to stay awake as much as he can to see the stranger’s improvement. Anticipating of himself dozing off, he made a hand-writing note. Yu puts the note beside a glass of water and the medicine on the table.

 

_‘Please drink this medicine and get better soon.’_

 

Yu fell asleep with his head on the table after he finished his meal, of course. God knows how third year of high-school and papers to take care of because he just moved last year burdens him.

(He dreamed of a soft smile, a black figure jump off of his balcony, dancing under the moonlight.)

 

* * *

 

Yu wakes up to feel blankets on his body, sun shines on his face from the broken window.

Before Yu sets off to his new high school, he smiled to see his note on the table is gone, his medicine decreased and the glass of water is now empty.

 

* * *

 

With a little panic and dread beneath his cool and calm expression, Yu hurriedly unlocks his flat.

Even he can be forgetful sometimes, and when it happens, it gnawed him with worry, and it makes him really anxious. Yu can’t decide if he forgot to lock the new window or forgot to turn off the stove. But his flat is fine, without any trace of burning and the gas is not empty, so it must be the window.

As Yu wanders around his flat, he hopes no one enters his flat and takes his belonging or do something weird— _oh_.

Yu blinked to the two red gift boxes sitting on the table in the living room. The right one with white ribbon, and left one with golden ribbon. He stepped closer to the boxes, and notices a red card on the table. The card got opened first and Yu smiled to read the hand-written message.

 

_‘It’s all thanks to your gentle treatment that i have fully recovered_

_I hope you don’t mind with little gifts as form of gratitude_

_Though i’m curious, which one do you like the most?’_

 

He pocketed the card, and began unboxing each one of the gifts. The one with white ribbon is a perfume, branded, and expensive, probably. Yu sprayed it on his wrist and it’s vaguely smells like mint and.. rain. He put the perfume down and began to open the left one, with golden ribbon. There’s a wrist-watch inside, a black one, silver lined and the glass shone under the light.

He puts both of the gifts back inside each box, and takes a piece of paper, writing the reply.

 

 _‘_ _They’re such lovely gifts, thank you._

_But i think, i’d appreiate your company more than these gifts.’_

 

Honestly, Yu doesn’t even know why he wrote that. True, he may be a bit lonely but it’s not up to the level of so desperate that he asked a stranger to accompany him. Still, this flat is a bit too big for him alone, and he doesn’t mind one more person around—even if that person only stays temporary.

Yu puts the message down on the table, in front of the two gift boxes, and seriously doesn’t expect _anything_ to happen when he decided to left the window unlocked the next day.

 

* * *

 

To find the notes missing but the boxes still there the next evening surprises him a bit.

It’s and understatement to say that Yu is surprised when he finds a certain someone wearing black long coat and birdie white and black mask sitting on his sofa, with a little red bag in his hand, around a week after the missing note. Yu almost dropped his newly cooked dinner to the sink.

Seriously though, his... guest needs to learn to step with sound and to knock first before entering to other’s flat.

The stranger tilted his head to one side, his smile (smirk) seemingly widens to display of Yu’s embarrassing reaction. “I’m sorry, i’m afraid i can’t help, i’m not much of a cook.”

Yu regained his composure just as easily, turned his head to the stranger and smiled himself. “And i’m sorry you have to wait a little longer, you came a little late.”

The stranger raised one eyebrow, and Yu proceeds to make another plate of spaghetti for his guest.

 

* * *

 

They end up eating their spaghetti on the balcony, since the air is nice to eat outside, and it’s also full moon out there. As the stranger quote, it’d be a waste to not enjoy. They sits down side by side, Yu on the left, the round table in the middle and the stranger on the right, facing the full moon.

The moment the stranger taste Yu’s cooking of simple spaghetti, his beady black eyes widened in delight. The stranger praised, almost purred. “You’re a very good cook.”

“Thank you.” Yu replied, chuckling. “I see you’re all better now.”

His black eyes stared right at Yu’s, and tilted his head a bit, his smirk already forming yet again, “Are you worried about me?"

“I was, yes.” Yu nodded. “But i see no need of that now.”

“As I said, it all thanks to you.”

“Does this means i should keep the wristwatch and perfume?”

“Unless you don’t like it, yes, you should.”

They stay in a comfortable silence for a few moments, enjoying summer’s wind blowing softly and the moonlight above, before Yu broke the silence with, “What should i call you?”

“What do you want to call me?”

Yu curled his lips to a thin line, showing a deadpans expression, and the stranger chuckled.

“Well, you can call me Yu.”

“Then Yu-kun, do call me Joker.”

Yu thinks, it’s not his real name, which means, this stranger involved in shady business, suspicious, after all. But he quickly pushed the thoughts away and smiled, “let’s get along from now on, Joker-kun." 

_You’re going to keep coming, right?_

Joker raised his eyebrow in amusement, his lips curled to a slight smile, “The same for me, Yu-kun.”

_Do you even have to ask?_

 

* * *

 

Their meetings become a regular thing, and much of  a surprise for Yu. Sometimes it’s three days in a row, Joker would visits his flat. Other times it’s once a week or even once a month—Yu almost forgets about his regular guest. But Joker always excused himself after twelve AM though, other times he excused himself on eleven or ten, said he needs to take care of something important. Usually they spent time by eat dinner together, other times Yu or Joker fuss over a new film and they watch film together, sometimes it’s just them with two plates of cakes together. Joker likes to enter from the window, much to Yu’s amused complains.

“You don’t know how to enter a room through the door.” Yu deadpans, one day, though he threatened a playful smile to surface on his face himself. God, it’s hard not to smile in front of Joker’s always-smirking face. “How do you even finish elementary school?”

“You wound me, Yu.” Joker replied with half-mocking, half-playful tone, “doors are tedious, you see.”

“Tedious?” Yu asked, bewildered.

Joker ignored him for the favor of munching his strawberry cheesecake in content.

“You know i can’t lock my window because of that, right?”

“Do lock it, though.”

“And let you broke the lock using hairpins?”

“Something more fancy than hairpins, i assure you, but _yes_.” Joker purred, grinning in amusement to Yu.

In the end, Yu sighed, shaking his head a bit and gave up. He’s smiling though, and Joker knows Yu is not mad or upset. Joker also aware of the fact of Yu will never lock his wall-sized window to balcony ever again.

 

* * *

 

Though the sound of TV is a bit muffled by his cookins, Yu could still see the news about The Heist of The Phantom Thief of Heart, and he can’t help but glancing at Joker sitting comfortably in the dining room, his phone in his hand. Joker caught Yu glancing at him; Yu’s stormy eyes met Joker’s charcoal, and Joker throws his usual smirk at him.

Well, no harm asking.

“Is that you, Joker?”

“Hm?”

“Phantom Thieves of Heart.” Yu said, absent-mindedly peels some boiled eggs and cuts them to circles.

There’s a silence, maybe too long for Yu’s liking, before Joker replied, “Yes.”

“Oh.”

Joker frowned a bit, seems amused. But then he smiled.

_But you don’t care about that, do you?_

“Is the dinner ready yet?”

Yu replied the rather asymetrical smile with one of his own.

_No, no i don’t._

“A little bit more.”

 

* * *

 

Setting down his laptop on the table, Yu proceeds to stis on the floor and opens the video-call app. It already opens and shows his friends back in Inaba, seemingly at Junes. The sky looks orange and red in the video-screen, lamps started to be turned on around.

‘Hey! Partner!’

‘Konbanwa, Senpai’

‘Narukami-kun, konbanwa!’

‘Yu-senpai! Hello!’

‘Ossu, senpai.’

‘Sensei, Kuma miss you beary much!’

‘Hey! Kuma, don’t go there you’ll make the laptop fall—‘

His latop shows image of blurry colors and shoutings, consist of screaming and blaming Kuma, and Yu sweatdropped. Though when the camera is back on again, he smiled more widely than before. Kuma got headlocked by Chie though, and they all closing to the camera.

‘Sorry, partner!’

“It’s okay,” Yu nodded, feeling warm and content, “how are you guys doing?”

And the conversation flows easily from that. From Yosuke’s whining of exams and Kuma’s happiness of new ice cream flavor, then to their teasing to Kanji’s hand-works which gone viral in Inaba, then to Rise’s schedule in entertainment world. It’s all fun and teasing until Naoto said something about Phantom Thieve of Heart. They all visibly went serious, and Yu blinked at that.

“I’m fine, though. You guys don’t have to be worried about me.”

‘But Narukami-kun, the places of the Heists are relatively close to you, you know.’

‘That’s right! Sensei have to be beary careful from now on!’

‘And not to say i heard The Phantom Thieves visits houses and flats, too.’

‘For real?!’

Yosuke visibly slams the table and Chie yells as her drink almost spills out, ‘That’s it, i’m going to visit you, partner!’

‘Why did you decide on your own?!’

‘Kuma wants to come too!’

‘We’re going to visit Yu-senpai!? Yaay i want to come too!’

‘So, when are we going?’

Yu’s smile widens to the banter in front of him, Chie complaining to Yosuke, Rise and Kuma planning the date to visit, Yukiko trying to calm Chie, and Kanji asking if Yu wants anything for him.

The silver haired just opened his moth to reply when he noticed Naoto’s deep blue eyes widened in surprise. Her hand moved to pat Kanji's shoulder, who turned around to face Naoto before he follows Naoto’s gaze to the camera, also widening his eyes.

‘Hey senpai, don’t you want to buy something outside?’ Naoto started, her voice loud enough it takes other’s attention to her.

‘Buy something? Is it ice cream?’

‘Kuma wants ice cream to—‘

Kanji sends a ‘ssh’ code to the others, and gestured to the laptop... or image of Yu in their laptop. Everyone seems to be surprised and serious suddenly and Yu frowned, confused.

‘Or Yu-senpai, you want to eat dinner outside, right?’ Rise chirped, voice too cheery to be natural. She’s acting—but why?

‘Ah, yes, that’s right. Di you forgot your appointment today, Narukami-kun?’

‘That’s right! Forgetting promise is a no-no! Get going. Narukami-kun!’

Yu blinked. He doesn't have any appointment today though, and he didn't tell them anything about any appointment, either. So, they're lying. For what?

...They’re trying to get Yu outside? Why?

‘Come on Senpai, making people wait is not good, you know.’ Now Kanji’s on it, too?

‘Yeah partner! Go and get up outside quickly!’ Yosuke’s tone still light but.. he’s almost hysterical. Yu knows it since they spend a lot of time together. And his eyes keep glancing to....

Slowly, Yu turned his head to see what is the source of all his friends’s commotion,

‘Yu-senpai! What are you doing?!’

‘Aaahh Narukami-kun, don't get distracted now, get up and walk front, ne?’

‘Senpai—‘

And ignores all his friends’s frantic yells of implicit _no, no, don't turn around!_.

He sees no one, though, really. As he raised an eyebrow, and turned around to face the laptop again, he felt a hand circling around his neck, he gasped softly, and his friends’s panic yells and cries from laptop become louder, Joker flop down and sits beside Yu.

“I’m okay, everyone.” Yu said, loud enough to be heard by his laptop.. and his friends on it. The yells disappeared  completely. “I’m okay, please calm down, and please don’t call my uncle or the police.” Because Yu vaguely hears Rise will call the police.. or his uncle. Whichever the same, honestly.

‘Are you sure, senpai?’

‘Senseeii!’

‘Narukami-kun we...’

‘We see someone there with you, Narukami-kun! Aren’t you live alone?!’

‘Get the screen straight, partner! I can’t believe you like this!’

‘Do you need me to punch that punk to pulp, Senpai?!

‘Yu-senpai, are you seriously okay?!’

Joker’s right hand no longer circling around Yu but his left hand still on the lid of his laptop, bending the screen so the camera won’t show anything. Yu deadpans to the ravenet’s smirk beside him, before his hand moved to grip the screen, and before he bends it straight again, he stares at Joker beside him.

“You know we were talking about you, didn’t you?” He said, soft enough only Joker could hear him.

_Isn’t it dangerous to let them see?_

“I can’t abandon my fans now, can I?”

_Go on, i’ll put a show._

‘Come on partner! Show us if you’re fine, show the camera!’

Yu rolls his eyes to his guest’s antics, and exhaled a long breath, before he pushed the screen straight again, the camera shows his face and Joker’s.. mask covered face clearly.

“I’m fine, see?”

It’s hard to hold his laugh at his friends’s horror faces (jaws hanging open, eyes widened so big they might as well went out of their sockets, brows furrowed, oh _god_ ) to see the Phantom Thief itself sits beside him, smirking to the camera. Joker realized how Yu bites inside of his cheek in effort not to break his calm facade and widens his smirk in delight, before he quickly gets up, passing sofa behind Yu by backflipping and disappear to Yu’s balcony in less than five seconds.

All hell broke loose one second after and Yu needs fifteen minutes to calm and convince his team that he is okay, nothing gets robbed, no need to panic, _Naoto please don’t call uncle Dojima or the police_ , _Kuma please don’t cry i’m perfectly fine_ , and when they all calmed down, Yu prepared for the inevitable.

‘Is that The Phantom Thief of Heart?’ Naoto asks.

“Yes.”

‘So it really is him?!’

‘But what does he wants with you, senpai?!’

Yu keeps quiet, seemingly mulled the answer, as he glanced to his kitchen and widened his eyes to see the Phanom Thief suddenly materialized there, already freely opens his fridge and brewing two cups of coffee. Also pulling out two plates of cakes Yu prepared for.. well, today. All the way smirking smugly to Yu.

So he can get in without getting caught in Yu’s laptop's camera. _This smug jerk._

‘Senpai?’

‘Partner?’

‘Narukami-kun?’

His storm colored eyes looked back to the laptop screen, he smiled, “....he comes to brew coffee, apparently.”

The IT makes a chorus of ‘Huh’ and Yu’s smile widens, both because their reaction and because the smell of hot coffee and sweet cakes fills his flat.

“I will tell the details later, but promise me to keep it secret and don’t call the police, okay?”

After glancing hesitant looks at each other, they smiled and nodded, decided to believe their ex-leader completely, before Yu cuts the connection between them.

“You owe me, Yu.” Joker purred, playfully smirking before he sips his coffee.

Remembering the screenshots of his friends’s horror expression earlier, Yu chuckled. He owe Joker, indeed.

“Is your usual favorite dinner enough?”

Joker ignored him, contently sipping his coffee while closing his eyes, but both knows that it is enough; or rather, Joker actually did the stunt for free, and he’s content with the usual treatment.

 

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

It has been a long time since Narukami sees the familiar limousine seats.

The interior still hasn’t changed; not much at least, if the absence of a certain long-nosed man is to be counted. The black leather seats, collection of wine and other alcoholic beverages on the corner right (he still wonders to this day why such _decoration_ needed), glass window behind the seat across him. It’s all the same since the last time he visited; right before the battle with the mad Goddess. Yu lifted up his head in time to meet Margaret’s golden eyes, a polite smile graced her lips; though for Yu, who is a regular attendant in the limousine shaped velvet room, it’s more like a grim smile than her usual one.

“I see you fare quite well.” She started, smile widens, her pale lithe fingers trailed the brown book in her lap.

Yu allowed a small smile graced his lips, and nodded as an answer. “That i am.”

“I hate to take your peaceful days away, but i must warn you, a storm is rumbling in distances.”

“My contract has ended.” Slight frown marred his countenance, and the words was said with hint of confusion.

“It has. Yet here you are.” She confirmed, along with a small nod. “This is... not yours to interfere, indeed.”

He’s about to ask what does Margaret mean, but then she opened her brown book and tarot card is floating up between them. It’s not his, Yu noted. Not his set of cards—which are blue and black in color, with silver and golden lines here and there. Instead this card is red in color, red and black, with hint of silver. And by the number displayed on upper side of the card, it’s The Fool.

“There is something beyond his power.” Margaret started. “Something The Fool should not fell into.” Her lips stretched to a thin line, “yet the journey has began. Even with the other arcanas gathering, he—they—will fall in demise.”

Yu locked his gaze with Margaret’s through the sparkling yet somewhat invisible floating card, “you said i am not supposed to interfere.”

Because if what Yu understand is right, then this new Fool has took a wrong turn in his journey—or something like that perhaps, which lead to his—their—own demise. It’s not like Yu has many experiences in this kind of thing. Heck, he’s surprised himself when he knew there are other Fool than himself. There goes his special feeling.

Margaret’s eyes lit with anticipation and hint of mischief, and Yu feels something is about to go wrong in his life—like that one time he visits this room before there’s a corpse hanging behind the misty road.

“Interfering and offering help sometimes are different thing.”

Yu blinked.

_Oh_.

Her smile widens as she realized Yu has connected the dots. “You are not The Fool on this journey, no, nor you are one of its Arcanas; you are simply you, The Fool of another, giving strength to reach their freedom.” Or, Yu thought, _you are not the fool because your journey was to find_ the truth _, not_ freedom _._

Yu opened his mouth, about to ask more things but Margaret cut him off with a swift, “until our next time, then.”

And Yu woke up to his digital alarm blaring noisily, demanding to be turned off.

 

* * *

 

Fortunately, even with all strange things happened in his life, Yu managed to develop the skill of taking every new things in stride, no matter how weird or strange the new thing is. If he can take all murder through televisions and saving town with Personas while blending with new surrounding, then he’s pretty sure he can take whatever universe going to throw at him while he’s aiming good scores on exams. So much for optimism—but Yu can’t live without it. Nowadays, that’s what keep him going most of the time.

Thinking about what universe throw at him though, Yu mused, the certain phantom thief’s visits has been quiet unusual. Everytime he visits, it’s to take a nap, or eat and take a nap, asking Yu to woke him up at certain times. Other times the Thief just enter through the window noisily (and wow Yu can’t decide if his sensing skill has increased or the thief’s stealth skill is reduced due to fatigue), and then ignores Yu’s concerned stare, and proceed to flop down on nearby sofa and sleep. It’s flattering in a way, how Joker believed in Yu and categorized Yu’s flat as _safe_ , but it’s also worrying. As if he has been up with something very tiring. Or big. Or very tiring and big. Though curious, Yu never made an effort to ask because if he’s not careful, their okay-yet-vague relationship could be destroyed by his curiosity. His uncle, or even Naoto would pry for information in no time and Yu would not have the heart to lie to them; they will know.

And hearing rumours about certain Phantom Thieves helping people getting their missing yet precious belonging, or help them find missing person, as well as increasing cases of confession from many culprits of rape and bulgars, along with suicide cases makes him slightly uneasy. One of things he learned from last year back in Inaba is not to ignore rumours. Especially in rural island like Inaba, where rumours spread magically fast and everyone knows about everyone. But it’s also unwise to ignore rumours in big city like Tokyo. Because even if the rumours got exaggerated and overlapped at many points, there must be a truth behind them.

Suddenly, Yu found himself in a rather personal journey of finding the _truth_ , surfing the internet and digging informations from his teammates in basketball club, as well as his friends in class.

And it brought to this condition, where he absent-mindedly scrolls down the request section on the Phantom Thieves website, especially those labelled ‘done’ by the web’s admin. They matched all reports about missing person, confession from many criminals, and before he realized it, there’s a heavy weight on his lap. Yu blinked and puts his notebook and phone away, looked down to be greeted by familiar mop of black.

Joker has decided that he needed the sofa for a nap so much he doesn’t care if it’s vacant or not, and uses Yu’s lap as his pillow.

How Joker seems to be appear out of nowhere hardly surprises Yu anymore. Maybe it’s a necessary skill on stealth or something. It’s not like Joker uses it to harm or prank him, too. And it has become a habit for the infamous thief. Yu admits he’s kind of surprised in a good way because Joker is able to maintain his stealth skill; meaning he’s just tired, not Tired with capital like that other times he practically stumbled inside his flat.

Luckily, Yu has put a cup of hot chocolate on the table before, and his remote is in his reach too. So while his left hand absent-mindedly pat and ruffles Joker’s black locks on his lap, his right hand moved to reach the remote and play his favorite series. At a time he feels the thief’s tense shoulder relaxed more, and Yu sips his chocolate while praying to whatever God up there not to let Jon Snow die.

(Later, when Yu gazed down at Joker’s peaceful sleeping form in his lap, he wondered why the raven-haired would put so much effort on helping people, if what he does eventually lead police on his tail. Yet a small smile graced his lips, thinking how happy those people must be when Joker find their missing belongings or person.)

 

* * *

 

Nanako has declared that art is her new world and both Yu and uncle Dojima are pretty much surprised by it.

Seeing Nanako’s recent art works though, Yu is pretty sure Nanako will have a bright future ahead. As animator perhaps, because painter these days is not really a promising line of job. But then Nanako’s birthday is coming along and Narukami’s salary as student is simply not enough to buy a decent art supply for his cute little nephew. She’s been complaining about her current water-color paint is uncomfortable—in a way when a member of painting club would complain about the ugly colors of cheap paints even though it looks the same for Yu. So, yeah, Nanako’s a decent artist now and Yu has no idea what will be a fitting gift.

Luckily, he saw a brochure of Ichiryusai Madarame’s  art exhibition and considering Nanako’s occassional rambles on great Japan painters, he knows his little nephew will be ecstatic if one of his art got recognition from the painter.

So, Saturday when he sure has no club activities, Yu ventured to Tokyo; counting on his GPS to get himself to Madarame’s exhibition.

Yu is actually surprised when he sees how the place is actually crowded. Well, Yu knows the man is famous but certainly not _that_ famous. He certainly doesn’t expect journalists and reporters longing around; some of them already put on their cameras and asking Madarame himself, surely to be put of television.

To get his autograph on Nanako’s art in his bag would be hard now, so as he waits for the crowds of reporters to disperse, he strolls to the gallery instead. Yu pulls out his phone and starts taking photograph of the paintings; ones which piqued his interest. Maybe Nanako would like it and use it as inspiration, who knows.

He noted a blue-haired teenager and his blond-twintail companion, chatting in front of a painting. Yu blinked. Wow, he wasn’t aware that there are actually teens who goes on date on art gallery. If it’s adult couple—like the one in front of that mountain painting, he could understand. But teens? And there are also kids around here.

(It’s his habit, really, to observe his surroundings; the people around him, if he’s traveling around. A habit proven to be useful in his investigation back in Inaba.)

Yu’s storm-colored eyes glanced at where the painter was again and to his disappointment, the crowd of reporters already dispersed, along with Madarame. Great, now he have to locate him again to—

—a flash of black on the edge of his vision makes his eyes widens and he turned around. A stranger with messy mop black eyes is standing in front of an empty wall; his posture lax as he leans back to the wall, both his hands each in his pant’s pockets. A stranger with black unbuttoned suit and white shirt, a bag hanging on his right shoulder.

When Yu looked at his face, his eyes greeted by a familiar charcoal eyes behind his glasses.

The stranger smirked; Yu just realized _who_ that stranger is when a man passed his vision field, completely blocking his sight of _Joker in usual clothes and without his mask_ —but when the man passed, Yu could see an empty wall; Joker has completely gone.

But is Joker here? What does he needs to do?

There’s a commotion right in the entrance, and curious, Yu naturally walks to investigate—imagine his surprise when he sees a black-red-white card, a threat-but-not-a-threat from Phantom Thieves of Heart typed on the card.

Well. That answer his question, all right.

In the end, Yu still can’t find Ichiryusai Madarame anywhere. Apparently, the old man has retired early. Probably because of the card, or because his old age is catching up with him. Either way, Yu sighed as he pulls out his phone, this means Yu has to visits his house—because ‘giving up’ is a non-existent word for Narukami Yu if it’s something regarding his loved ones.

 

* * *

 

It’s already sunset when he arrived at Madarame’s housing.

Turns out Tokyo is very big and it could be very confusing for a newcomer like Yu. And the traffic on Saturday has not been fun. At all.

So when he strolled to the famous painter’s house—his phone in his hand—Yu’s already weary and he wants nothing more than to end this quickly. Tomorrow is Sunday, fortunately, so he could take a long breath before another tedious week which starts in Monday.

He could see the house in his vision, and it’s just twety steps or so Yu will reach the door, knocks it, offers polite praises and request of autograph, and everything will be done.

If only it’s actually that easy.

Because it’s ten steps to the door—just a fucking little bit more—when his steps wobbled, his vision blurred, and when he blinked, his surroundings already changed.

Heck, even the sky and the _air_ changed.

It’s suddenly not Madarame’s housing in Tokyo, but it’s a huge, luxurious, golden museum, named ‘Ichiryusai Madarame’s Exclusive Museum,’ where Madarame’s house should’ve been located. Not sunset sky but ink black one. There are people—lifeless, translucent people lining in front of the door, and an officer (blank black face with purple mask, too tall, too monstrous to be human) right in front of the entrance. Yu knows he can’t get in through that door and—he looked back—yeah, no way except darkness behind him so.

Yu inhaled a long breath to calm himself down—just trust his luck to be very shitty, indeed—and he feels the air _hums_ around him, like the air in the television world, and he can’t help but lets a little bit of excitement washed over him.

(Still, his priority is on finding a way out, then asks for Madarame’s signature.)

 

* * *

 

He jumped over a wall, and successfully entered a garden.

Stealthily, he rounded on another monstrous officer ( _shadow_ , a part of his mind whispered) and slowly entered the building via side door.

Yu blinked to the scenery in front of him.

Yeah, confirmed alright, this absolutely a shadow world; wthat with this labyrinth-like setting. There must be traps around... along with shadows. Yu silently sweats. If Margaret’s words is anything then she’s hinted that he will get his personas back, but being alone in an unknown world like this makes him very anxious. And yet, Yu moved forwards. Hiding behind pillars and jumped over traps, silently manouvering around and his frustration grew as he could find no way out in sight.

But then, he heard a commotion.

His feet leads him to run—past the corridors and to one open area—he could hear the sound of metals clanging, groaning noises which doesn’t sounds human, and... and someone shouting ‘Persona!’ which make his blood boils.

The first thing Yu could see is Joker’s form lying still on the chess-pattern floor, then someone with... tail? A fox mask, a katana in his hand; standing tall in front of Joker. His persona—blue light with sword, floating above with beautiful blue light—is obviously having a hard time handling five shadow in front of him.

Then, Yu feels his blood runs cold.

_I want to protect_ , his mind whispered through panics and fear in his vein. _I want to protect them, I want to protect_ him _, lend me your powers—_

“— ** _Persona_**!”

There’s a blinding blue light (and pain, so much pain he wanted to drop down but his feet glued and he stands still gritting his teeth) yet Narukami welcomed the feeling of his True Self back within him, he welcomed the thrill of battle and he could almost see how Izanagi smirked above him; his sword ready in his hands.

“ _Izanagi_!”

He commanded, and said persona flew forwards, swinging his black blade and obliterating many in his path.

Yu doesn’t stand still though, as he, too, runs forward, snatch the unconscious Joker in his hands, and ignoring the blue haired teen’s startled look, Yu turned around, “Do you know where the safe room is?”

Because dungeons always have safe rooms; a space where no shadows could reach them.

“I know.”

It wasn’t the teen who answered him, butrather, a taking cat—a talking, almost comical mascot cat. Yu inclined his head. This black cat with mask reminds him of Kuma’s costume.

“Lead the way, then.”

No time to question the weirdness of a talking _bake-neko_ , because his friend is in danger. He ignored the cries of shadows behind him—how Izanagi’s blade easily tore them to pieces is laughable; Yu could feel his persona’s excitement for having a field day after a long, long time—and advanced forward, following the cat’s lead.

 

* * *

 

It was when he’s done treating Joker in the safe room that he slumped on a nearby chair, sighing tiredly. Yu could feel the other two’s curious yet suspicious stare at him, but he care less. His energy for socializing today has been reduced to little pieces of strained smile and awkwardness, and if he has to choose between half-assed greeting and silence, then it’s the latter.

“Who are you?” The cat suspiciously asked.

Yu inclined his head, and offers a small smile, “A friend.”

The air is so thick with awkwardness he swears anyone could cut it with knife.

Luckily, Joker stirred awake soon after. Yu turned around, yet he doesn’t make any move to stand up from his chair; the other two, not so much, as they quickly helps Joker sits down on the sofa where just lay down.

“Joker!” The cat almost whined, “we were so worried!”

“Don’t push yourself too hard, Joker.” The blue-haired teen said.

“What—“

The ravenet clutches his head, and shakes them softly. Then he lifts up his head, meet’s Yu’s storm eyes, and he blinked. He blinked again; Yu almost laughed yet he keep it down to a smile.

“Good to see you awake, Joker. How’s your sleep?”

If Joker looks confused before, now he looks shocked.

“Yu?” He almost sputtered, “But why—how—“

“You know him, Joker?” The cat asked, surprised.

He glanced at the cat, and back to Yu again, before he nodded. Then, he looks at Yu again; Yu could tell his playfulness is back even if it’s for a fraction.

“You never tell me if you know about personas.”

Yu raised an eyebrow, amused, “you never tell me either.”

Joker hums, and he gets up, “fair enough.” After a pause, he looked at Yu again and smirked, “you’re _very_ beautiful, by the way, Yu. I’m _very_ pleased to see you like this.”

For a moment Yu is lost, as he could only stare blankly at Joker’s smirk and the tell-tale of mischief glinting in his eyes—but then his hand gestured to a wall-sized mirror on the right side of the room and warily, Yu steps himself in front of the mirror.

He almost drops his jaw in shock.

His casual clothing has already changed—it’s not his white shirt with jeans, no, but instead it’s a white suit, covered by pristine black suit behind a black coat. There’s a white mask which covered his upper face; a bit of his forehead, his eyes and down to the tip of his nose (like, how? Yu haven’t felt anything, at all!). The white mask is the same as Izanagi’s upper face, Yu realized. But the most shocking part is—his hair. His short, silver-white hair has somehow grew so long in one night. There’re white, long bangs covered each side of his face, and a ponytail for his white hair behind.

Fortunately for Yu, years of handling weirdness downgraded his response to widens hi eyes in shock; lips parted for a fraction. And that’s it, before his expression turned calm again—borderline flat when he looked at Joker’s smirking face, and he commented,

“I look like a detective.”

Joker raised an eyebrow, “No shit, _Sherlock_.”

The ravenet laughed at Yu’s flat stare at him, and the two Fools remains oblivious to the other two people inside the room; one widening his eyes in surprise and other one went slack jawed.

Introduction and explanation is on the line, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys! It takes months for me to update because i need more research on Persona 5's story line ;;;  
> I'm actually trying to make a plot out of this one buuuttt because i think too much and so little time--im actually very picky on the actual writing plot. Once again, sorryyy ;;;;;


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